loving sara loudly
When I spent a week with my friend Sara in April, I thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime gift. But now I know it’s at least a twice-in-a-lifetime treasure, because I’m back in Iowa with her.
And while I wish it were under very different circumstances, I am so glad I’m here with her again.
Some of you already know Sara (aka Gitz). Those of you who don’t… should take some time to get to know her. She is an amazing woman… an incredible friend… and the most Christ-like person I know.
Honestly.
Sara just reminds me of Jesus.
She is sacrificially loving. She gives without limit. Even when she is broken and hurting, she thinks only of others. Her heart overflows with the goodness of God’s own heart.
I am so thankful for every moment I get with her.
Sara’s father passed away very suddenly this past weekend. Because her chronic illness has left her homebound, she is unable to go to the funeral or be with her entire family.
So family came to her.
When I arrived yesterday, I wrapped my arms around Sara and we just cried together. I told her it wasn’t just a hug from me, but from her entire online family. I’m here loving her the best I can on behalf of all of her friends who can’t be here. …Her family around the world who is hurting with her and loving her deeply.
Sara is so grateful for your love and prayers. She feels them! She keeps saying how rich her life is in friendship. That she is loved so well and cared for by so many, and it makes the world of difference to her.
Watching the outpouring of love on Sara right now is so beautiful. Thank you. Really.
Many of you have asked about tangible ways to help. Due to her severe allergies, it’s important that you don’t send flowers, food, or anything perfumed. I do know of some things you could send, though, so please let me know if you’d like to do anything. Even just taking the time to write her a note would mean a lot.
I’m thankful we all have this opportunity to care for Sara in even a fraction of the way she’s cared for us. To be there for her like she’s been there for so many. To love her loudly, like she’s shouted her love for her friends with every fiber of her being.
And I’m thankful y’all are here in Iowa with me this week. Because you are. And it means so much to Sara.
And to me.
one of Sara’s beautiful creations
If you haven’t yet, please go meet Sara.
I’ve been a wreck for her since I read yesterday. I even called my mom, who I’ve told all about Sarah (she even reads her blog once in a while!) and I couldn’t stop crying enough to tell her in a full sentence.
I told Tammy I keep thinking “we should send flowers, b/c that’s what you do, but it’s not enough!” (flowers to the funeral, not to her)
I kept looking at her number in my phone knowing that calling would not be good, but just wanted to let her know she is loved. So thank YOU for doing that for all of us.
Even now I can’t stop the flow of tears for our precious Sara.
Please email me your thoughts and what I can do for her, and her address if nothing else. I have it, but don’t ask me where!
Love to you both. Thank you Alece.
let me know what she needs, and i will try to make it happen. I do want to send something. Love and prayers for you both…holding special places in my heart
(Raisin??? hhahahaha)
you can thank Alece for that nickname. ;o) heehee
i love it..but you will always be my bwan..love you! we need to hook up soon and catch up..
we’ll compromise… raisin bwan. ;o)
and I agree about catching up! Love you!
Thank you for the update! I have thought about Sara often and keep checking for an update, but know this is a really hard time right now. One of the first things I thought about was how heartbreaking it must be to know she cannot go to the funeral. Are they going to be able to have a video feed or anything for her?
Please let her know that prayers & love are being sent to her all the way from China!! I am so glad for her that she has the support of this online family & that you can be our extended arms right now.
Please let us know what we can do. Love to you both~
Katherine, I heard that yes they are going to try and get a live feed for her to be able to watch.
Yes – They will be Skyping Sara in for the wake and the funeral. THIS is what God created the internet for! (sorry Al Gore)
I could kiss you, Alece!! (But don’t worry. I won’t.) I have been thinking and praying about Sara non-stop since the minute I heard the news. I am so glad you’re with her (and that her family’s there too.) I hate hate HATE this for her, but I know she’s surrounded by love.
Aaand I didn’t realize I was replying to that comment. I’m glad they’re going to Skype her in though.
My heart is hurting for Sara. She is in my prayers.
You are a great friend, friend. I’m praying daily for her and her family. I’m so thankful that you were able to go and did. Give her a hug for me.
I have followed Sara’s blog for a while now and I just love how she writes with such a warm heart, elegance and acceptance. Her faith is mind blowing :)
My heart has felt heavy for her bit from reading her post about her Dad she knows and we know how lucky she is to have had a Dad like him. If there is anything I can do please let me know. xxxx
I took this and read it to the both of my sons.
Isaac whos the youngest responded. “what do you mean she cannot go outside?” I went through the whole story and told him about Riley etc.
He held my cheeks (Isaac) and said ” can we send her something? can we send Riley a new ball?
He has never met Sara like the most of us in the physical, but he knew her heart was “hurting” and Riley would be working “overtime”.
I love that you are there …
I love that a video feed is hopefully working out….
Sara we love you…. myself and my boys are praying for you deeply!
tell her we are loving her from around the country and around the world. i’m so glad that you can be there with her, alece.
Thanks for being there for her, Alece. I only know her through her blog, but am so so sad about this. Thanks for giving her an extra hug from me. I am praying for you both.
I don’t know Sara, though I think I may follow her twitter feed, I was aware something was up, but didn’t know what. So thank you for letting us know….I’m praying, and very thankful you are able to be there with her at such a sucky time.
xoxo
pls give her a big hug from me and christian and give riley a hug from bambam.
Alece, I sent you an email about helping Sara. Please let me know how I can help from here – or there. I’m so SO glad you can be with her right now!!
Thank you, with every part of me, for the way you are loving her for all of us. Thank you for being an anchor in this storm. Thank you for being His hands and feet. Thank you doesn’t seem adequate right now for the ways in which you are serving. Please let me know what I may send, what she needs, how the chicks and I can help…
Alece, I am so glad you are there with her! Sara is constantly in my thoughts and prayers. Could you email me her mailing address? I would love to send her a card.
thank you all SO MUCH! my friend tam is gonna send you an email later today with our thoughts on how you can help.
Please include me. I want to do something, too.
Alece, I’d really like to send something to Sara. Do you think it would be okay for you to send me her address?
“When I arrived yesterday, I wrapped my arms around Sara and we just cried together. I told her it wasn’t just a hug from me, but from her entire online family. I’m here loving her the best I can on behalf of all of her friends who can’t be here.”
A huge YES. You are such a faithful friend, to be there for her and wrap your arms around her. For her. For us.
I have that quote about the stones in my journal.
I saw a show on TV the other day about a woman in a wheelchair who had a dog and I thought, “That’s like Sara and Riley.”
Sara, we love you. I am so sorry for the hurt your heart is going through right now. My heart hurts at this news. I hope that you feel some comfort from comments from all these friends you’ve never met. You are a special lady with a special heart. I will pray.
oh how i love you both so much!
I have been a blog reader of Sara’s for a while, and I am so sad for her. I just can’t imagine how she must be feeling. I would love to send her something. If you would be willing to give me an idea and her address, i will get busy. Thanks for being there’s for her. I’m sure appreciates it more than you know.
Thank you, Alece, for being there for all of us who can’t. Sara has got to be the most loving, genuine person I’ve ever come across, and my heart just hurts for her.
I would love to send something to her … some music and a card. Let me know if that would be ok and where to send.
Hey Alece..please pass our love and prayers onto Sarah. Praying that she feels the presence of her Heavenly Father like never before.
Loving you both and praying up a storm for Sara and her family during this hard time.
Oh, how I love you both Please hug our girl for me and tell her I love her. I’ll call her in a week or two when things quiet down. You’re such a good friend. Hugs to you both. xoxo
so so glad you are there with her!! i would love to know how i can help or send her something at least a card! let me know…
praying….
My heart has been hurting for her since I heard the news and I too have been praying for her. I’m so glad you are able to be with her. You are such a good friend and exactly what she needs now. I would like to be included in Tam’s email if possible as I would also like to do something to love on this beautiful woman of God. Loving you both so much tonight and trusting Sara can feel the love of all of us.
Oh Dear Sara, I’m praying for you and your family. I hope you feel His comfort even more…
I’m so thankful you have such a dear friend in Alece.
Please God, draw near to the brokenhearted. Help Alece as she comforts her friend. And hold Sara up through this tragic time. Let the family feel Your presence and remember the blessed hope of resurrection. You are good to keep us throughout this temporary life and to bring us into Your eternal presence after death. In Jesus’ name…
Thank you. Those words just don’t seem enough right now.
My prayers for Sara and her family have been many. Thanking God for all who are loving large and loudly on her.
I’m so glad you’re there loving on her. I was praying that someone would be able to be with her right now.
Please let me know if there’s anything I can send her!
I am soooooo soooo so glad you are there friend. So glad you are hugging on her… loving on her. Being our arms and hands and hearts… thank you for YOUR loving spirit and heart to be there.
“she is unable to go to the funeral” this brings tears to my eyes….
Love you girl… Love you Sara… praying with you and for you through all this. Know that you are loved greatly, deeply, profoundly.
My heart and prayers go out to Sara!! I’m so glad you are able to be there with her.
something simple you could do is send sara a note. you can add a (real!) card to sara’s card basket—for free—here.
alece! jessica posted this update link on her blog, and i’m so glad she did! i’ve been praying for sara since saturday morning and waiting for an update on her blog, but hadn’t seen anything. that’s completely understandable, but, given how many of us care about her, it was hard to have no info about how she is and how things are going.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for posting this! i’m really glad you’re there with her, being for all of us what we’d like to be…a comforting presence, a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear to stories of her dad, and much more, i’m sure.
i’m wondering when the funeral is. in case there are others like me who are not aware of your blog or jessica’s, perhaps you could post a link at sara’s site to this post and jessica’s about the card basket, as well as when the funeral is, so we can all be praying specifically at that time for her and all her family.
i have spent significant time in sara’s archives since discovering her blog about 10 days ago, and i agree with you completely: sara just reminds me of Jesus too.
thanks again!
just a quick, short reply for now: the wake is this afternoon/evening, and the funeral is tomorrow. we will be skyping in for both so sara can be as “with” her family as possible. would so appreciate your increased prayers for sara today and tomorrow…
thanks for the info, alece! will increase the prayer cover. the Lord will be glorified through this life now at rest, and sara will have all she needs in her time of need (ps. 46:1).
Thank you Alece…I’m so glad you’re there with Sara. Please tell her that Mike and I are praying for her…my heart is aching for the whole family.
Your suggestions about what to do and not do are helpful…I found Susie this morning on FB and asked her…so much I want to do…sigh.
Praying today for grace, sweet comforting grace for all of you.
Sending all the love I have to my precious friend…Robin
I would like to help fill a need. Please contact me on how I can help. My heart is breaking for sweet Sara.
Thank you.
Just tell me what she needs. I will still be praying.
Praying for you both today and tomorrow and the coming days. May God’s peace and comfort surround you and His love overflow and embrace you.
I’ve been in and out of my own emotional turmoil….. so I haven’t written before…
I want to send something as well. I could really like to get her mailing address.
I am so sorry…..
Thank u Alece, for being our (and God’s!) hands and heart towards Sara……
Hey, girl! Praying for you and Sara and her family. What can I do? Email me.
Love and hugs from (back in) VA!
Thank you for being there for Sara. My heart is hurting for her. I can’t imagine how she is feeling, but I know her online friends (including me) do love her and care for her deeply. She is an amazing woman. I would like to send or do something as well. Please let me know what and how I can do for her. And Riley too.
I know I’ve told you a bunch of times on twitter, but I’m SO glad that you are there with Sara loving on her for all of us who can’t be there in person. My heart is just so sad for her and her family. I can’t imagine losing a parent like that but then to not be able to attend the services with all her family and friends is just awful. You are an amazing friend and I’m sure she and her family are so grateful you are there with her.
Thanks again!
Oh, so sad. I can’t even imagine that. I am SO glad you are able to be there with her at this time. I can’t say I know Gitz at all … but I have seen her around and conversed with her a couple times. My heart goes out to you Gitzy. I know it must feel like your world had dropped out …
This is a little late. I have already sent my cyber hugs to her.
But I had to say that that piece of art is on my living room wall. I love it. I say it everyday as I look at it. It is a true blessing!!!
Thanks for hugging her for us. :)